Rotary steam-engine.



No. 633,730. v Patented'Sept. 26, I899.

A. s. PIATT .& E. E. WOLF.-

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

(Apylicu-tion and me. 10, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

wi/lmeooe'o m: norms PEYERS 00.. mmLrrm. wuumcrom u. a

No. 633,730. Patented Sept. 26, I899. A. S. PIATT & E. E. WOLF.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE [Application filed Dec. 10, 1898.

4 Sheets$heet 3,

(No Model.)

No. 633,730. Patented Sept. 26, I899.

A. s. PIATT & E. E. WOLF.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

(Appliation filed Dec. 10, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Hill

lllll Tm: norms PETERS ca. FHOTO-L|TH-. \msumc'row, n, c.

"Nr'rnn STATES PATENT Ornrcn.

ABRAHAM S. PIATT, OF IVEST LIBERTY, AND EELM'ER E. IVOLF, OF SPRING- FIELD, OHIO; SAID \VOLF ASSIGNOB TO SAID PIATT.

ROTARY STEAM-ENG IN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,730, dated September 26, 1899.

Application filed December 10.1898. Serial No. 698,817- (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern: tions of the deflector-valves and pistons to Beit known that we, ABRAHAM S. PIATT, reeach other. siding at West Liberty, in the county of Lo- The letter A represents a suitable shell or gan, and ELMER E. IVOLF, residing at Springcasing to which are secured end plates B by 5 field, in the county of Clark, State of Ohio, means of lag-screws O orin any othersuitable citizens of the United States, have invented manner. This shell or casing and its end certain new and useful Improvements in Roplates are carried bysupports or legs D. The tary Steam-Engines, of which the following interior of the casing is divided into two is a specification, reference being had theremain parts E and respectively, within [O in to the accompanying drawings. which are fitted rotatable pistons G G. Be This invention relates to certain new and tween these pistons is located a dividing usefulimprovementsin steam rotary engines. member 11, within which are located inlet- The objects of our invention are, first, to passages I I and exhaust-passages J. The arrange a pair of pistons within a suitable inlet-passages communicate with an inlet- I5 casing with a steam-feed conduit between port K, while the outlet-passages communithem, the steam in which conduit may be cate with an exhaust-port L. Within each automatically directed alternately against inlet-passage is located a cut-off valve M, each piston and will acton them expansively having a valve-stem N. This valve is so during a sufficient length of time to utilize formed that at one time it may direct the 20 the full force of the steam; second, to prosteam from the passage I into a steam-chest vide mechanism whereby the steam will be 0, formed by an extension of the casing admitted to each cylinder casing or chamber within each of the piston-chambers, it being on opposite sides of the same piston at the understood that there is one steam-chest for same time; third, to provide suitable reverseach piston at each end of the engine, as will 25 ing mechanism which will cause the steam presently appear. 'Within each of these to be so directed against each piston as to resteam-chests is located a partially-rotatable verse their direction of rotation, and, fourth, deflect-or I, which is mounted on a shaft Q. to provide partially rotatable abutments The shaft Q carries a keyR, projecting within which are adapted to be so rotated through a space S in the hub of the deflector. This 0 the reversing mechanism and held in such space S permits the deflector to be partially position by steam -pressure and which are rotated on the shaft without any movement also capable of such rotation by the direct of the shaft, such construction permitting connection with the pistons themselves. the steam-deflector to be thrown to the dotted Ourinvent-ion also relates to details of conposition, as shown in Fig. l, by means of the 5 struction and arrangement hereinafter aprotatable piston G, as it has asomewhat campearing, and particularly pointed out in the like outline. In order to prevent the escape claims. of steam past the deflector, we provide an ex- In the accompanying drawings, on which tension T therefrom, against which the steam like reference letters and figuresindicate coracts to hold the extension in close contact 4o responding parts, Figure 1 is an end elevation, with the rotatable piston. To prevent undue partly in section, the section being taken on wearon the extensiomwe have providedarubtheline yy of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a longitudinalsecbing'surface U, preferably formed of steel or tional view taken on theline acxof Fig. 1; Fig. other suitable material, as clearly shown in 23, a detail perspective view of one of the bush- Fig. 1. A passage is formed in the steam-chest 5 45 ings on which the engine is mounted; Fig. 4, between the deflector and the cylinder-casing, a sectional view on the line .2 ,2 of Fig. 2 as shown at V. Thus as the steam enters looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 5, through the inlet-passage I it will pass bea partial plan and sectionalview, the section tween the deflector and casing and abut being taken on the line z of Fig. t; and against the rotatable piston G in its piston- I00 50 Fig. 6, a similar View to Fig. 1 with the end chamber. In order to prevent the steam from plate removed and showing the relative posipassing through the passage IV between the deflector and the casing, we provide a partially-rotatable abutment X, which makes tight contact with said deflector. This abutment is provided with a packing Y and a lug Z. The packingY assists in making the joint between the deflector and abutment perfectly tight, and the lug Z is engaged for the purpose of causing the abutment to partially rotate, as will shortly appear. It will be seen that such abutment acts as a stationary stop against which the steam may act in one direction, and consequently the force of the steam is directed against the piston to rotate it. hen such deflector is moved from the full-line position to its dotted position by means of the piston, the abutment X will remain in contact therewith; but when the deflector is operated by means of reversing mechanism, which will be hereinafter described, the lnga is brought into engagement with the abutment X and causes it to partially rotate, and the lug b will engage with a. projectionjc,extending from the second abutment d, and will partiallyrotate such abutment, so that its end 6 will engage with the deflector and the packingf will make a perfectly tight joint, whereby there will be no leakage of steam between said second abutment and deflector. Thus the steam will-flow through the passage W against the rotatable piston at one side of its center. This will cause the piston to rotate in one direction, while when the deflector is so arranged that the steam will travel through the passage V the piston will be acted upon at the other side of its center and will travel in the opposite direction.

We have thus seen how the steam enters into one steam-chest and from there how it acts on the piston to rotate it in either direction.

We will now refer to the manner in which the steam is, directed against the piston G. By referring again to Fig. 5 it will be ob served that when the valve M is turned to the full-line position the steam will flow into the adjacent steam-chest O, which is provided. with a similar deflector and abutments, as above described. From this steam-chest it passes into contact with the piston G.

WVe have now described the mannerin which the steam is conducted first into one steamchest and then into another steam-chest at one end of the engine; but it will be understood that the opposite end of the engine is similarly constructed, and consequently a description of the working parts for one will answer for bot-h. e will therefore now pass to a description of the mechanism for operating the cut-ofl -valve stem U and its valve, whereby the steam is conducted first against one piston and then against the other. By

referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that on each side of the inlet-port K we have provided a cylinder g. WVithin each of these cylinders is mounted a piston h on a pistonrod 1' in any suitable manner, such as being screwed thereon. The piston-rod passes through cylinder-heads j and glands 7t. In order to make the joint tight between the piston-rod and the heads, packing Z is provided, which surrounds the piston-rod and is located between the head, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. To each end of this piston-rod is secured a bifurcated head m while on the upper end of each of the valve-stems N is secured a crosshead a. To each end of these cross-heads is pivoted one end of a bar 0 and 19, respectively, which at their other ends project within their respective bifurcated heads m, as above described. By. referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that each piston-compartment communicates with the cylinder g, near each end, on' each side of the piston it. When the deflector P and one of the pistons are in the position indicatedin Fig. 1, the steam will pass through the passage (1 and into the cylinder g, which will cause the piston h to assume the position illustrated in Fig. land at the same time will rock the cross-head n, and thereby rotate the cut-off M from the dotted position to the fullline position, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5, which will direct the steam into the adjacent steam-chest to operate on the other piston. While this is being accomplished the piston G is being acted upon by the expansion of the steam until the point "r of the piston is advanced to close the passage V between the deflector P and the casing. At such time the steam in the cylinder g will be forced through the passage (1 into the space between the piston G and its casing by means of the live steam acting against the piston F in the cylinder g on the opposite side of the inlet-port K. As soon as the points of the piston G travels past the point i of the casing, as shown in Fig. 6, the spent steam passes into one branch J of the outlet-passage, as shown in Fig. t,which communicates with the exhaustport L above described. A corresponding outlet-opening J is shown back of the deflector P in the sectional part of Fig. l,'the deflector in the opposite end of the engine occupying the same relative position. From Fig. 6 it will be seen that the steam is let into the piston inclosure at such points that it strikes the piston at opposite sides, and consequently it remains in a balanced condition, which increases the wearing qualities of the engine and also tends to reduce the friction in the bearings.

In order to prevent the live steam from blowing out through the exhaust-ports before acting on the piston, it will be understood that when the point r on the piston reaches the point U of the casing, and thereby cuts off the steam, the point 5' of the piston will not have passed by the point t in the easing. The same is true as to the points r and s on the opposite side of the piston with -re-' spect to the points 1; and t in the casing.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, the

relation the cylinders and corresponding deflectors maintain to each other will be clearly seenthat is, when the steam is acting against one piston and the passage q is open the steam is cut off from the other piston and the corresponding passage q is closed by its piston.

\Ve will now refer to the mechanism for reversin g the rotation of the pistons. This consists of a lever 2, (shown in dotted linesin Fig. 1,) which is secured to one of the shafts Q for the purpose of partially rotating said shaft and through it the deflectors in the steam-chests in one end of the engine. To this lever is attached one end of a connecting-bar 3, which at its other end is attached to a short crank-arm 4, clamped to the deflector-shaft 5, as shown at 6, and also keyed thereto, as shown at '7. As the shafts Q are rotated the keys R engage with one or the other of the shoulders Sin the hubs of the deflectors and partially rotate such deflectors for the purpose heretofore described. When they are so rotated that the steam in the steam-chests passes through the passages \V, the passage 9, leading into the cylinder g at one side of the piston 72, will conduct the steam into the cylinder g in a similar manner and for the same purpose as the passage q above described.

In order to limit the movement of the reversing mechanism, we provide an adjustable stop 10, as shown in Fig. 1.

\Ve will now refer to the manner of packing the pistons so that no steam will escape between their ends and the central partition and end plates. As illustrated in Fig. 6, a circular groove 11 is cut in each end of the pistons, and in this groove is placed a ring 12. This ring is held in close contact with the respective end plates and central partition by means of springs 13, arranged at intervals within holes 14 and adapted to press on arms 15, pivoted at one end of a cross-bar 16, forming a packing extending across the piston and projecting behind said rings. Springs 17 also act to keep the cores or packing-bars 16 in engagement with the casing during a portion of the rotation of said piston at least. Thus steam is effectually prevented from escaping except at the proper time,when it passes through the exhaust-port designed for it, as above described.

In order to maintain a true relation between the casing and pistons, we provide conicalshaped bearings 18, 19, and 20. These conical bearings have a number of slots in them, as shown at 21 in Fig. 3. These slots are so arranged that one of them opens from one end while the next one opens from the other end and alternate in this manner around the bearing. This is for the purpose of permitting the bearing to yield more or less. From one end of the bearing extend lugs 22, which are provided with holes 23 for the reception of screws 24.. These screws are adapted to screw into the casing to any desired amount. Their outer end is also screw-threaded, and the nut 25 is adapted to screw against the bearing and move it longitudinally against a shoulder 26 on the screw, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thus all wear is provided for and both cylinder and casing will maintain their true relation to each other at all times. Oilholes 27 are provided for oiling the shaft in the outer bearings.

In order to let out condensed steam from the piston-chambers,we provide petcocks 29, which extend through each of the end plates and communicate with the interior of the piston-chambers.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a shell or casing having a pair of chambers located therein, a driving-shaft extending through said casing and having a pair of pistons rigidly mounted thereon within their respective chambers, of a partition having a steam inlet and exhaust passage located therein, a cut-otflocated in said inlet-passage, means to partially rotate said cut-off automatically to direct the steam alternately against said pistons during each revolution of the driving-shaft, steam-chests between said inlet-passage and said pistons, a deflector located within each of said chests and adapted to direct the steam against said pistons at either side of said driving-shaft according to which direction the pistons are desired to rotate, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a shell or casing having a pair of chambers located therein, a driving-shaft extending through said shell or casing and having a pair of pistons rigidly mounted thereon within said respective chambers, of a steamchest for each piston having a deflector located therein, with a passage between said deflector and the walls of said steam-chest for the passage of steam into the piston-chamber, an abutment against which the steam may react to drive the piston, a steam-passage leading into said steam-chests and having a "alve located therein adapted to direct the steam first into one steam-chest and then into the other steam-chest during each complete rotation of the drivingshaft.

In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a shell or casing having chambers located therein, a driving-shaft extending through said casing and having pistons rigidly mounted there on within said chambers, of steam-chests forming extensions from said chambers each having a steam-deflector located therein, means for partially rotating said steam-deflectors to cause them to direct the steam above and below the center of said pistons according to the direction the pistons shaft, a means, cons titu tinga steam-inlet passage leading into the steam-chests, and a cutoff in said passage adapted to automatically direct the steam first into one chest and then into the other alternately during each revolution of the pistons, substantially as shown and described.

4:. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a shell or casing having chambers located therein, a driving-shaft extending through said casing and having pistons rigidly mounted thereon within said chambers, of a partition between said pistons having a pair of inlet and a pair of outlet passages therein, a cut-off within each of said inletpassages, a pair of steam-chests connected with each of said inlet-passages, a deflector mounted in each of said chests adapted to contact with the respective pistons, as also a pair of abutments adapted to contact with each of said deflectors, means for partially rotating said deflectors, and through them said abutments alternately into and out of contact therewith, means to partially rotate each of said cut-offs in said inlet-passages to alternately deflect the steam into the adjacent steam-chests during each revolution of the piston, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a shell or casing having a pair of piston-chambers located therein as also a pair of steam-chests in each end of said casing communicating with said piston-chambers, a pair of pistons for each of said piston-chant hers rigidly mounted on a driving-shaft extending through said casing, of a partition between said pistons, a pair of inlet-passages and a pair of outlet-passages therein, said inletother set of steam-chests alternately during each revolution of said pistons, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a shell or casing having a piston mounted therein on a driving-shaft and adapted'to rotate said shaft, a steam-chest also located within said casing, a shaft extending through said steam-chest, and having a deflector mounted thereon, said deflector being adapted to partially rotate independent of said shaft by said piston and also adapted to be partially rotated by said shaft to deflect the entering steam above and below the com ter of said piston according to the direction of rotation desired, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a shell or casing having a piston mounted therein on a driving-shaft and adapted to rotate said shaft, a steam-chest communicating with the interior of said chamber, a deflector-shaft extending through said steamchest and having a deflector mounted thereon and adapted to be partially rotated by said piston and also partially rotatedby its shaft, of a pair of abutments pivoted within said steam-chest and adapted to alternately contact with said deflector, according to the position to which the deflector-has been operated through its shaft, substantially as shown and described.

S. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a shell or casing having a piston mounted therein on a driving-shaft and adapted to rotate said shaft, of a steam-chest communicating with the interior of said shell or casing, a shaft extending through said steamchest havinga deflector mounted thereon and within said chest, said deflector being adapted to be partially rotated by said shaft and by said piston, a pair of abutments pivoted within said steam-chest and adapted to contact therewith, a lug or projection extending from each of said abutments, a projection for each abutment carried by said deflector and adapted to engage with said abutment projections whereby when the deflector ispartially rotated through its shaft one of said abutments will be thrown out of contact with the deflector and the other abutment will be thrown into contact with said deflector, thereby directing the steam either side of the center of said piston, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a shell or casing having a pair of chambers located therein, a piston for each of said chambers mounted on a shaft, of a partition having a steam-inlet passage located therein, a cut-off in said inlet-passage,

means-to partially rotate said cut-off automatically to direct the steam alternately against said pistons during every half-revolution of the driving-shaft, steam-chests between said inlet-passage and said pistons, a deflector located within each of said chests and adapted to direct the steam against said'pistons at either side of said driving-shaft, according to which direction the pistons are desired to rotate, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM S. PIATT. ELMER E. IVOLF. Witnesses:

'W. M. MCNAIR, WILLIAM M. PIATT. 

